That's one of the peculiar things about bad moods - we often fool ourselves and create misery by telling ourselves things that simply are not true.
David D. BurnsRead
Depression can seem worse than terminal cancer, because most cancer patients feel loved and they have hope and self-esteem.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Depression can be more debilitating than terminal illness due to the lack of love and hope often experienced by those suffering from it.
In this quote, David D. Burns highlights the devastating emotional impact of depression as compared to terminal cancer. While cancer patients often receive love, support, and maintain hope, many individuals struggling with depression can feel isolated and worthless, leading to a profound despair that may overshadow even the most dire physical conditions.
Themes
DepressionMental HealthHopeSupportSelf-Esteem
In practice
Example use cases
During a mental health awareness seminar, you can use this quote to illustrate the severity of depression.
More from David D. Burns
All quotes βMost people do surprisingly poorly when dealing with a relative who is hurting, depressed, or anxious - we get defensive and try to solve the problem rather than finding the truth in what the person is saying.
David D. BurnsRead
Negative thinking patterns can be immensely deceptive and persuasive, and change is rarely easy. But with patience and persistence, I believe that nearly all individuals suffering from depression can improve and experience a sense of joy and self-esteem once again.
David D. BurnsRead
A poor self-image is the magnifying glass that can transform a trivial mistake or an imperfection into an overwhelming symbol of personal defeat.
David D. BurnsRead
I'm all for 'tools,' not 'schools,' of therapy. To me, the schools of therapy compete much like religions, or even cults, all claiming to know the cause and to have the best method for treating people.
David D. BurnsRead
It's very rare to have a patient who isn't absolutely delighted when you say, 'I read your feedback. The session didn't go well. You actually got more upset, and I made about three really horrible errors.' If you do that from the heart and not as a gimmick, boy, it's a wonderful thing.
David D. BurnsRead
Similar quotes
Depression is a prison where you are both the suffering prisoner and the cruel jailer.
Dorothy RoweRead
Never once, during any of my bouts of depression, had I been inclined or able to pick up a telephone and ask a friend for help. It wasn't in me.
Kay Redfield JamisonRead
Being a depressive should not imply danger any more than being a man or even a human should. Mental illness isn't a them/us issue; we are all on the scale somewhere. So we must be very careful to resist ignorance and combat the stigma that leads to dangerous silence.
Matt HaigRead
Well, you know, there's depression and depression. What I mean by depression in my own case is that depression isn't just the blues. It's not just like I have a hangover in the weekend ... the girl didn't show up or something like that. It isn't that. It's not really depression, it's a kind of mental violence which stops you from functioning properly from one moment to the next. You lose something somewhere and suddenly you're gripped by a kind of angst of the heart and of the spirit.
Leonard CohenRead
Mania is as bad as it gets. If not treated, it will become worse, more frequent, and harder to treat.
Kay Redfield JamisonRead
When I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder the year I turned 50, it was certainly a shock. But as a journalist, knowing a little bit about a lot of things, I didn't suffer the misconception that depression was all in my head or a mark of poor character. I knew it was a disease, and, like all diseases, was treatable.
Jane PauleyRead